Tennis-racket.



C. W. HUTCHiNSON.

TENNIS RACKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI4.1917.

1 ,252,576, Patented J an. 8, 1918.

Z0 I a! crates.

CHARLES W. HUTCHINSON, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TENNIS-RACKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 19118.

Application filed May 14, 1917. Serial no. 168,486.

, in Tennis-Rackets; and I do hereby declare description thereof. I

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in tennis rackets or like devices wherein a cat gut or other fibrous mesh is employed.

Due to varying conditions of humidity the cat gut net mesh of a tennis racket] has a tendency tostretch and become loose and thus deaden the action of the racket, and it is primarily the object of ie present inven tion to provide a means for tightening the strands of the net mesh of a tennis racket.

It is further an object of the invention to provide a means for reinforcing the fibrous strands of the racket and to accomplish both these objects my invention comprises essentially the provision of normally sinuous metallic strands interwoven with the cat gut strands, whereby upon longitudinally drawing the strands to straighten them out, the fibrous strands will be drawn into a'more sinuous shape to thus tighten them.

A still farther object resides in the provision of a brace and shield for the frame of the racket, whichv is adjustable to engage the frame with sufficient tightness in various conditions of expansion and contraction of the frame.

A still further object resides in the provision of a tennis racket embodying the above mentioned features in a structure of maximum simplicity.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, arrangement and formation of parts more particularly hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tennis racket embodying the present invention with portions thereof broken away to more clearly show the structure.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view through the net mesh of the racket on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view through that the following is a full, clear, and exact the net mesh of the racket on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 5 designates the frame of the racket, which is formed in the usual manner and shape by a strip of wood bent in a loop and having its ends merged into a handle 6, the usual throat piece 7 being set in the inner end of the frame. Secured in the frame is the usual net comprising at its side portions the interwoven longitudinally and transverse strands 8 and 9, respectively, formed of cat gut or other fibrous material, the transverse strands 8 being extended entirely across the racket, and in the intermediate portion of the racket, metallic longitudinal strands 10 are interwoven therewith which have their inner ends extended into sockets 11 formed in the throat piece and adjacent frame portions,

said ends being secured by pins 12 passed transversely therethrough and through the frame. The outer ends of the metallic strands are threaded and passed into the outer end of the frame and engaged with adjusting nuts 13 disposed in sockets 14 in said outer end of the frame. Thus upon rotating the nuts 13, the metallic strands will be drawn longitudinally to straighten them out, and thus by reason of their interwoven relation, draw the transverse fibrous strands 9 into a more sinuous shape whereby said strands are tightened. It is noted that the metallic strands 10 are of a resilient nature and are normally bent in sinuous shape whereby in their interwoven engagement with the fibrous strands, said fibrous strands will not be relatively distorted by reason of the greater stiifness of the metallic strands, except when the metallic strands are straightened as heretofore set forth to effect a tightening of the fibrous strands. These metallic strands also serve materially to reinforce and strengthen the body of the net, and by reason of interweaving the fibrous strands therewith, a ball engaged by the present racket will impinge against certain of the fibrous strands in whichever position it engages the racket, and consequently the tend ency to injure the ball ordinarily incidental to the use of an entirely metallic net is obviated. In this COIlIlBCtiOHathe metallic strands 10 are flat and rounded at their side edges whereby they are prevented from biting into the ball or into the transverse fibrous strands with which they are engaged, it being noted that cylindrical metallic strands would injure the fibrous strands.

To brace the frame 5 and to shield its outer peripheral face, a metal strip 15 is disposed about the frame and has one end apertured and engaged in a socket 16 in the inner reduced end of the frame, and has its other end extended transversely at 17 through the reduced end of the frame and the throat p1ece and secured to an adjusting screw 18 which is passed through the apertured end of the other end of the strip to secure it, and which carries an adjusting nut 19. Thus the strip may be adjusted to at all times maintain a tight fit about the frame irrespective of its conditions of expansion and contraction.

In its normal use the racket frequently strikes against the ground and thus is encountered a tendency to wear the sides of the outer end ofthe frame. the shield strip is provided adjacent the end of the frame with lateral flanges 20 embrac- 1n the sides thereof. Apart from the shlelding function, these flanges also serve an important function in that they brace and render rigid the adjacent portion of the shield strip, and thus prevent any tendency of distortion of the frame 5.

To provide a more positive means for To prevent this,

preventing breakage of the frame at its sides, the flanges 20 may be continued along the strip 15 to embrace the sides of the frame. Also the metallic strands 10 of the net may, if desired, be formed in oval shape instead of fiat as heretofore described, both these modifications being obvious and consequently not illustrated. It is also apparent that various other changes and modifications of structure may be resorted to without desaid strip for tightening it to compensate for expansion and contraction of the frame, and flanges at the portion of the strip adjacent the outer end of the frame embracing the sides of the frame.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee,

in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

CHAS. W. HUTCHINSON. 

